Apparatus for coating beads



R. F. BREWER 2,597,613

APPARATUS Foa coATING BEADS May 2o, 1952 Filed April 12,` 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l g-Aum A rom/Ey May 20, 1952 R.` F. BREWER APPARATUS F OR COATING BEADS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April l2, 1950 .\\,mw "H51 om 9m. Ll A mw 3. .0mm mm R w mm G ma .Il nl. Il Il .2. NIH uw ww a m w S, r n, om .lll @m NGF* .H

May 20, 1952 R, F, BREWER 2,597,613

APPARATUS FOR COATING BEADS Filed April 12, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 /N VEN TOR R. BREWER A TTORNE Y May 20,1952 R. F. BREWER 2,597,613

APPARATUS FOR coATING BEADS Filed April 12, 195o 4 sheets-sheet 4 I www A All" Il" 26 6'5 26 6; 26 6g I j :i: ":3

A /N VEN TOR R. BREWER A '7' roR/vEV Patented May 20, 1952 UN ITED TNT FFICE APPARATUS FOR COATING BEADS Application April 12, 1950, Serial No. 155,503

(Cl. 11S-#211) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to coating apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for forming glass coatings on thermistor beads.

In the manufacture of thermistor units of a particular type, thermistor material is placed at equally spaced positions on advancing wires in the form of beads which are heat treated, the wires being subsequently cut in such a manner as to serve as terminals for the thermistor units. It has been found advantageous to protect the beads of thermistor material by coating them with glass and baking the glass coatings on the beads prior to cutting the wires.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for coating articles and which is highly efficient in successively forming a coating of glass over bead-like articles.

With this and other objects in View, the invention comprises an apparatus, for coating beadlike articles disposed at spaced positions on a strand, including a feeding element movable at a given speed to advance the beaded strand relative to an applicator which is continuously supplied with the coating material, and a unit actuable in timed relation with the advancement of the material to cause the applicator to apply a coating of material tov each of the beads.

More specifically, the apparatus includes an applicator wheel driven continuously through a supply of the coating material so that its periphery will contain a quantity of the material suiiicient to have the beads embedded therein and become completely7 coated with the material. The feeding element includes a wheel with gripping units to grip the strand intermediate the beads to positively advance the strand with the beads at a given speed. A solenoid operated finger is under the control of a switch intermittently actuated into closed position by a cam driven by the mechanism which drives the feeding wheel so that each time a bead is moved 'into general alignment with the periphery of the applicator wheel, the strand will be moved laterally to embed the adjacent bead within the coating material on the periphery of the wheel.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus, portions thereof being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of thev feeding unit and the associated driving means;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View of the 'apparatus 'adjacent the applicator wheel; and

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary detailed views illustrating different steps in the coating ofthe beads, namely, prior to, during, and after the coating operation.

Referring now Ato the drawings, the apparatus includes a base lll having a vertical frame I apertured at I2 to receive a spindle |13 which is held in place by set screws l5. A reduced portion I6 of the spindle lli supports a bearing for rotatably supporting a feeding unit or wheel 20. The feeding unit 2) carries a plurality of gripping units 2| disposed in circular arrangement as shown in Fig. 2 and including collars 22 normally urged against head members 23 by springlike elements 21| to grip a strand 25 intermediate its beads 26 of thermistor material. The collars 22 carry cam rollers 28 which are mounted on axes extending radially toward the axis of the spindle I4 as shown in Fig. 2. A cam 30, xedly mounted on a collar 28 secured to the portion IB of the spindle lli, is positioned to be engaged by the cam rollers 28 and force the collars 22 to the left `(liig. 3) opening the clamping units 2| and holding them open until the strand 25 is located between the collar 22 and head 23. A cutaway portion 3| of the cam is positioned where the units 2| are to be closed. As each clamping unit 2| reaches the cutaway portion or opening 3| in the cam, the rollers 28 leave the cam allowing the springs 2li to close the clamping unit on the strand, rmly connecting the strand with the feeding element or wheel 2S.

The driving means for the feeding wheel or unit 20 includes a belt 35 driven from a power means (not shown) to drive a pulley 36 and its pinion 37 with a shaft 38 on which the pulley and pinion are mounted. The pinion 31 interen gages a gear 39 to drive the gearA and the shaft 11.0, upon which it is mounted. The shaft 4D is journalled in suitable bearings in the frame and has a beveled gear 4| mounted thereon to drive abeveled gear 42, the latter being mounted on a shaft 43 which is journalled in 'a bearing 44 in the frame The shaft 43, supporting the beveled gear 42 at one end thereof, has a pinion '35 mounted on the other end thereof which interengages a ring gear 46 disposed concentric with the spindle I4 and secured to the feeding wheel 2B. This constitutes the positive drive for the wheel 20.

An applicator wheel 5B is mounted on the shaft 38, the shaftbeing supported in suitable bearings 5| of a carriage 52. The carriage 52 is mounted on a support 53 between guideways 54 and is adjustably positioned thereon through the aid of a screw 56 rotatably supported by a bracket 51 adjacent its hand wheel 58 and extending it to a threaded aperture 59 of the carriage 52 whereby rotation of the hand Wheel and screw will move the carriage to effectively adjust the location of the applicator Wheel 50 with respect to the beads 26 on the strand at given time intervals during the advancement of the strand. During this adjustment, the width of the pinion 31 assures continued engagement with the gear 39.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the strand with the beads 26 is initially wound on a supply drum 60 having a continuous groove 6| in its periphery in the form of a continuous thread in which the strand is initially Wound or stored before being placed in the apparatus. The drum 6|) is mounted on a threaded shaft y62, the threads of which are similar to those of the drum whereby during rotation of the drum as the strand is pulled therefrom, the drum, through its threaded connection with the shaft 162 will move to the left (Fig. 1) maintaining the take off point for the strand at a given position whereby the path of the strand leading from the drum to the feeding wheel 20 will be in a iixed plane relative to the applicator wheel 59.

The mechanism for intermittently moving the strand laterally toward the applicator wheel as each bead 26 is positioned in general alignment ,with the wheel includes a reciprocable finger under the control of a solenoid 66 and guided in a given path by an apertured arm 61 whereby its end 68 may engage the strand at a given position intermediate the beads or upon each side ol the adjacent bead as shown in Fig. 1. Normally the finger 65 has its outer end spaced from the path of the strand and beads. The solenoid which is normally deenergized is under the control of a normally open switch T mounted on the frame and having its roller supporting arm l I positioned to be engaged by a cam '|2 xedly mounted on the pinion 45 as shown in Fig. 3. The cam 12 has equally spaced high points 15 to engage the switch roller '|6 of the arm 1| to intermittently move the switch into closed position. This, of course, is accomplished in sequence with the advancement of the strand as the cam 'l2 is positively included in the mechanism for driving the wheel 20.

Returning again to the applicator wheel 55, particularly as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, a reservoir 80 is mounted on the carriage 52 to receive liquid glass 8| for coating the beads 26. Suitable wiping means 82 may be provided to control the supply of the coating material 8| traveling continuously with the applicator wheel 50 out of the reservoir 80.

Considering now the operation of the apparatus, let it be assumed that the strand material 25 with its equally spaced beads is travelling in a continuous path from the supply drum 60. The advancement of the strand longitudinally is under the control of the driving means for the feeding wheel 20 rotating .at a given speed relative to the fixed cam 30 which holds the clamping units 2| open to receive the strand until the units reach the open portion 3| of the cam at which time the units are freed to'close on the strand providing a positive connection with the feeding wheel. This connection is maintained until the clamping units are again opened by the cam 30. During advancement of the strand between the drum 60 and the feeding wheel 20, the

finger 65, which is normally in the position shown in Fig. 5, will be moved into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 6 during energization of the solenoid 66 through the closing of the switch l0 by the cam 'l2 as shown in Fig. 2. During this time interval, when the solenoid 56 is energized, which is only momentarily, the bead in general alignment with the applicator wheel is moved into a position adjacent the periphery of the wheel so that it will be completely coated with the material 6|. Upon deenergzation of the solenoid 66, the coated bead is moved away from the applicator wheel due to the normal tension in the strand, and the next bead when advanced to the coating position is moved into the material on the applicator wheel. The rapid movement of each bead out of the supply of material on the wheel 50 results in the throwing of excess coating material from the beads. The coated beads are advanced undamaged by the feeding wheel 20 and an additional means (not shown) is provided to continue the longitudinal advancement of the strand and beads through a furnace 86 wherein the beads are heat treated.

It is to be understood that the above described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall Within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for coating articles disposed at spaced positions on a strand, the apparatus comprising means to advance the strand at a predetermined speed in a given path, a container of coating material, an applicator wheel rotatable about a given axis whereby its periphery will travel into and out of the coating material to carry a continuous supply of the material closely adjacent, but spaced from the said path, a unit actuable intermittently to move the strand laterally to cause the articles to be embedded in the supply of material on the applicator wheel and be coated therewith, a carriage to support the applicator wheel, and an element actuable to move the carriage relative to the advancing means to assure location of the applicator wheel adjacent the articles during actuation of the unit.

2. An apparatus for coating articles disposed at spaced positions on a strand, the apparatus comprising a rotatable feeding wheel, gripping units disposed in spaced circular arrangement about the axis of the wheel to grip the strand intermediate the articles, means to rotate the wheel at a given speed about its axis to advance the strand with the articles at a predetermined speed in a given path, an applicator actuable to feed a coating material toward the said path, and a unit actuable intermittently to cause relative movement of the applicator and the strand to coat the articles with the material.

3. An apparatus for coating articles disposed at spaced positions on a strand, the apparatus comprising a rotatable feeding Wheel, gripping units disposed in spaced circular arrangement about the axis of the wheel to grip the strand intermediate the articles, means to rotate the wheel at a given speed about its axis to advance the strand with the articles at a predetermined speed in a given path, a supply drum for the strand and articles so formed and movable as a result of the strand being pulled therefrom by the feeding Wheel that the point where the strand 5 leaves the drum will be in the said path, an applicator actuable to feed a coating material toward the said path, and a unit actuable intermittently to cause relative movement of the applicator and the strand to coat the articles with the material.

ROBERT F. BREWER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Callan July 2, 1912 Coleman May 4, 1926 Heckel et al. Feb. 4, 1936 Harding Mar. 29, 1938 Baldwin May 30, 1939 Krogel Sept. 30, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 28, 1934 

